Hectograph machine



May 31, 1932. w, MQLL 1,861,188

HECTOGRAPH MACHINE Filed 001:. 9, 1929 I z/M/w 6 W 0 Z355 my w PatentedMay 31, 1932 uur'rsu STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE WILHELM K. MOLL, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DITTO, INCORPORATED, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA nn o roenern MACHINEApplication filed October 9, 1929. Serial No. 398,326.

The invention relates to duplicating machines of the type employing agelatine matrix on which a master sheet is first impressed and fromwhich copies to. the de-,

sired number are taken, the master and copy sheets being impressed onthe matrix by rollers ournaled in aplaten carriage travelling over thematrix.

Duplicating machines of the type commonly known as hectograph machinesare used.

extensively in office work wherein it is desired to secure a number ofduplicates of bills, time sheets or the like, and are equally eflicientin operation in duplicating a time 1 sheet the maximum size of themachine or the marginal edge of the sheet into contact with the gelatinesurface. -Upon operation of the carriage to travel over the gelatinesurface, the sheet is fed from the rollers upon the gelatine whichreceives the desired im-1 pression, after which the sheet is strippedfrom the surface by the return travel of the carria e. The desirednumber of copies may p be duplicated in a similar manner and theoperation repeated employing a master sheet of probably larger size.Heretofore in these operations it has been left entirely to the judgmentof the operator as to the required stroke the carriage should take toimpress the full length of the sheet or copy upon the gelatine, andoften the carriage is worked so far that the copy is lost between theroll ers and remains in adhesion'upon the gelatine surface. Thisrequires the operator to strip the copy from the gelatine by hand. It isfor use in the operation of the machines when duplicating a variety ofmaster sheets of different sizes, as described, that the improvements ofthe present invention have been particularly designed, and one of theprimary objects of the invention is to in crease thevefiiciency of themachines when employed forsuch work by providing a novel carriage stop.andindexingmeans for rendering the operation of the carriage posi tiveand reliable at all times. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carriage stopand indexing means for hectograph machines that will allow for a widerange in the travel of the platen carriage.

Yet another object is to provide a carriage stop and indexing mechanismfor hectograph machines having novelactuating means for the latter whichmay be thrown into and out of engagement at the will of the operator.

A further object is to provide a carriage stop and indexing means thatwill be simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture,easy to manipulate, and positive and'reliable in operation.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consistof certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be morefully described and particularly pointed out in the specification,drawings and claims appended hereto.

- In the drawings, which illustrate an emmodiment of the device andwherein like reference characters are used to designate, like arts- 7Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hectograph machine embodying thefeatures of the present invention;

Figure 2is a fragmentary top plan view 7 showing the stop and indexingmeans as applied to the platen carriage;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 3-3 ofFigure 1 showing in detail-the stop wheel and pawl arrangement; and sFigure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of Figure3 showing the stop wheel and indexing member.

In carrying the invention into effect in the embodiment thereof whichhas been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings, a frameis provided having side members 10 within which are journaled thegelatine rolls 12 through suitable spindles 14, A flat platen (notshown) ismounted within the side members 10 and forms the printing bedof the machine by having the mounted on the side members 10 through thesupports 24.

The carriage stop mechanism comprises a stop wheel 26 mounted forrotation on the bearing 28 which is securely fastened to the carriageextension 20 by means of a set screw 29 so that the stop wheel isadapted for rotation on the guide rod 22 as well as sliding movement inaccordance with-the movement imparted to-the carriage. The stop wheelforms supporting means for a plurality of stop rods 30 of predeterminedlengths which are secured to the wheel at spaced intervals around itsperiphery by means of the threaded ends 31. The rods 30 act as stopmeans for arresting the rearward movement of the carriage by engagingthe bumper 32 secured to the sleeve 34 on the guiding rod 22.

A pawl 36 is provided pivoted at 38 on the rod 39 for locking the stopwheel in a set position so that a selected stop rod may be held inalignment with the bumper. The free end of the pawl 36 has lockingengagement in the grooves 40 by abutment with the teeth 42 provided onthe circumference of the stop wheel 26, and is maintained in aparticular groove by the tension exerted by the spring 44 which has oneend secured to the pawl and the other to the carriage extension 20 bymeans of the screw 47 The indexing means shown in Figure 4 consists of abracket plate 48 which is secured by suitable bolts to a stationary partof the frame of the machine, generally the side members 10, and hasmounted therein a plunger 50 held in proper position by the spring 52.For retracting the plunger 50 against the tension of the spring 52 asliding block 54 is provided having awedge shaped outer surface 56against which a pin 7 58 is adapted to engage in the movement of theblock when actuated by the operator through the handle 60.

In the operation of the parts as thus described, the platen carriage asdisclosed in Figure 2 is in its extreme forward position nearest theoperator, in which position the wheel 26 is located on the left of theplunger 50. As the carriage begins its printing stroke, the plunger 50will be depressed as its beveled edge will be engaged by the teeth 42 onthe stop wheel 26. The carriage will continue its printing stroke untilthe particular stop rod 30 having alignment with the bumper 32 engagesthe bumper, when the carriage will, of course, be returned by theoperator. On the return movement of the carriage, the stop wheel willengage the straight edge of the plunger 50, and, since the grooves 40are diagonally spaced on the circumference of the wheel, a groove willbe directly in the path of the plunger which, by continued movement ofthe carriage, will have sliding engagement within the groove, thusgiving a consequent rotation to the stop wheel suflicient to bringanother stop rod 30 of different length into alignment with the bumper.

It will be seen, therefore, that the carriage will have a printingstroke of a length which will vary as the length of the stop rods vary,and which will be changed on each return movement of the carriagethrough engagement of the plunger 50 in the diagonal grooves 40. After aparticular stroke of the carriage is seeured,however, to agree with thesize of the master sheets and copies to be worked upon, the indexingmeans maybe discontinued by the handle 60 provided for that purposewhich, on operation, will slide the block 54 towards theoperator,thereby retracting the plunger 50. ()n the return movement ofthe carriage, therefore, rotation will not be imparted to the stopwheel, and the pawl 36 will function to maintain that particular stoprod in alignment with the bumper as long as the plunger remainsretracted. After the desired number of copies have been duplicated, theplunger can be released by the operator and a printing stroke secured ofa different length to agree with the size of the master sheet and thecopies to be next duplicated.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustrationand not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will ofcoursebe apparent to those skilled in the art without departingfrom thespirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed in its printingstroke, means for arresting the movement of said carriage to secure aprinting stroke of certain length including a bumper secured to saidframe, a stop wheel secured to said carriage and adapted for rotation,stop rods secured to said wheel and spaced around the periphery thereofand adapted upon rotation of said wheel to be brought into alignmentwith said bumper, means for rotating said wheel by the return movementof said carriage and a wedge block for disconnecting said rotating meansto maintain a selected rod in alignment with said bumper.

2. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed in its printingstroke, means for arresting the movement of said carriage to secure aprinting stroke of certain length including a bumper secured to saidframe, a plurality of stop rods secured to said platen carriage andadapted for rotationto bring said rods into a ignment with said bumper,means for rotating said rods by the return movement of said carriage anda wedge block for d1scontion, a frame having a printing bed, a platencarriage adapted to travel over said bed in its printing stroke, meansfor arresting the movement of said carriage to secure a printing strokeof certain length including a bumper secured to said frame, a pluralityof stop rods secured to said platen carriage and adapted for rotation tobring said rods into alignment with said bumper, a plunger for causingrotation of said rods by the return movement of said carriage and meansfor retracting said plunger to maintain a selected,

rod in alignment with said bumper.

4. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, a

bumper secured to said frame, a stop wheel secured to said carriage andadapted for rotation, stop rods secured to said wheel and spaced aroundthe periphery thereof and adapted upon rotation of said wheel to bebrought into alignment with said bumper for arresting the travel of saidcarria e, a plunger for causing rotation of said w eel by the returnmovement of said carriage and means for retracting said plunger tomaintain a selected rod in alignment with said bumper.

5. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, a bumper securedto said frame, a stop wheel secured to said carriage and adapted forrotation, stoprods secured to said wheel and spaced around the peripherythereof and adapted upon rotation of said wheel to be brought intoalignment with said bumper for arresting the travel of said carriage,means for causing rotation of said wheel comprising.

a plunger secured to said frame, and diagonal grooves on said wheeladapted to be engaged by said plunger on the return movement of saidcarriage.

6. In a duplicating machine, in combination a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, a bumper securedto said frame, a stop wheel secured to said carriage and adapted forrotation, stop rods secured to said wheel and spaced around theperiphery thereof and adapted upon rotation of said wheel to bebrought'into alignment with said bumper for arresting the travel of saidcarriage, a plunger for causing rotation of said wheel by the returnmovement of said carriage, and a pawl for locking said wheel insetposition.

7."In a duplicating machine,in combination, a" frame'having a printingbed, a platen carriage adaptedltotravel over said bed, a bumper securedto said frame,a stop wheel secured to saidcarriage and adapted forrotation, and stop rods secured to said wheel and space'd 'around theperiphery thereof and adapted upon rotation of said'wheel to be broughtinto'alignment with said bumper forarresting the travel of saidcarriage.

8. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, means forstopping the carriage at a point in its travel including a bumper onsaid frame, a

plurality of stop rods secured to said car-.

riage and a stop wheel adapted for rotation to bring a selected rod inalignment with said bumper.

9. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, means forstopping the carriage at a point in its travel including a bumper onsaid frame, a stop rod secured to said carriage and a pawl for lockingsaid rod in alignment with said pumper.

10. In a duplicating machine, in combination, a frame having a printingbed, a platen carriage adapted to travel over said bed, means forstopping the carriage at a point in its travel including a bumper onsaid frame, a stop wheel secured to said carriage and pro vided withdiagonal grooves, stop rods secured to said wheel for engagementagainst.

secured to said carriage and a plurality of,

stop rods of different lengths secured to said wheel.

12. In a device of the character described, in combination, a framehaving a printin surface, a carriage adapted to travel over saidsurface, means for stopping the carriage at various points in its travelincluding a stop Wheel secured to said carriage, grooves on said wheel,a plunger located on said frame and adapted to engage within saidgrooves during the travel of said carriage, and means for retractingsaid plunger.

13. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a printing bed, acarriage movable back and forth along said bed, a plurality of stopslocated in definite relation to each other for determining the length ofprinting stroke of the carriage, and means for placing A ll tion of a'rintin bed, a carriage movable back andihrth a ong said bed, meanshaving a plurality of stops thereon for determining the length ofprinting stroke of the carriage, and means for selectively moving saidstops in operative position.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 5th day of October, 1929.

WILHELM K. MOLL.

